Subject: Grail: "The Great Brightness" - 'A Doctor's Work is Never Done'

Stardate 47307.21, 1002 hrs

William looked around his Sickbay. Soon, very soon, everything

would break loose. He had his staff and some of the volunteers that had

trickled in, mostly from the Science departments, but the Marine Medical

Corpsman stood out the most among the blue turtlenecks. "Alright people,

here is our situation," he began. "We have found that the virus can be

contained by a Class 4 Biofield, but hopefully we won't have to use them

very often. You will be called upon over the next one to two weeks to

respond to emergencies around the ship created by the General Quarters

order. Of all ship's personnel, we have the run of the place, in a manner

of speaking. Site to site transporting will usually be the manner of

reaching emergency sites. Transporter room two has been notified of this,

and they wait upon our calls.

"Also, each of you will undergo a medical scan after every case

you treat, just in case. Any bodily discharge has the most chance of

transmitting the device, so use extreme caution when around any type of

spills. One more thing. Keep painkillers, dermal regenerators, and

portable bone knitters in you kit at all times. These General quarters

orders may lead to fights from cabin fever when people are allowed to get

together. That's all. Dismissed." William watched the people file out,

some to return to quarters, others to their duty stations. This was

going to be a long week.

Stardate 47307.26, 0133 hours

"Computer, begin Chief Medical Officer's log."

-Recording begun- chimed the computer.

"Stardate 47307.26, 1233 hours. The General Quarters order has

turned the Grail into a veritable space-borne coffin. After only three

days under the order, I've seen the effect that it has had on morale,

especially in my department, which arguably has its hands the fullest

during this time. To date, we have diagnosed and catalogued three new

cases of viral infection, two of which came from an unfortunate incident

in the mess hall. Those infected have been restricted to quarters, and

their department heads notified. On a personal note, I could do without

having to diagnose everyone before they all head down to Kerestia for

some R&R, although if Doctor Ramin is correct, we'll need to go to the

planet for the cure anyway. I could use some R&R, that's for sure. End

log."

Stardate 47307.29, 1600, CMO's Office

Doctor St. Claire stepped into the office, indicating her arrival

for Blue Shift. William jerked his head up briefly. "Ah, hello Doctor,"

he said. She nodded in response. "I'll be out of your way in a moment,"

Ramius said, as he stood from his chair and patted his chest to make sure

he had his glasses. "Good news that the General Quarters order is due to

be lifted, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," she replied. "I've been looking forward to some

R&R, although I don't think I can get into the holodecks yet."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," said William, reassuring her

as he moved past her and out to his quarters.

--CMO's Quarters--

"A meeting concerning away team procedures, hmmm," said William

aloud to the empty room. He stood and ordered his dinner, then sat back

down at his desk and began going over the status reports that he had

received before leaving. Oh, how he longed to get the cure for this

damned virus. It would relieve him of many headaches. As he finished his

last bite of green beans, William began to think about how rashly he had

acted to get put upon the Grail. A volunteer assignment to the Indiana,

and now this. Battling a specially engineered Romulan virus on a ship

where, more often than not, the crew is battling each other. With a

chuckle to himself, William wondered if he was the only sane person on his tub.